The invention relates to a potential distribution system for distributing potential to electrical consumers or loads, particularly in motor vehicles, and to a suitable connector.
The number of electrical consumers or loads in motor vehicles is increasing. Because of the large number of variations due to special equipment and the like, this means that either cable harnesses having different designs and optimum dimensions for different equipment variations must be provided in a motor vehicle, or a cable harness designed for a maximum number of consumers is to be provided for all equipment variations, and is only partially utilized. To keep the number of variations in the cable set or loom under control, cable support points, fuse plug-in points or fuses are included to some extent, although they are not required in a part of the vehicles.
A further problem associated with the large number of variations relates to right-hand drive and left-hand drive vehicles. For example, the fact that a fuse box is disposed on the left or right side in the vehicle according to national regulations stipulates different line assemblies.
This in turn increases the costs for cabling and fuse protection for the consumers. Presently, blow-out fuses are being used for fuse protection of consumers and lines. Because of handling issues, these fuses are disposed in a limited number of central fuse boxes. The fuses must be able to be replaced following a fault caused by the vehicle driver. For this reason, the fuse boxes in which the fuses are disposed must be located so as to be accessible to the driver. This further complicates the cabling, because all of the cables must be guided to these boxes and, from there, to the electrical loads.
Furthermore, the degree to which a motor vehicle is equipped with electrical consumers, control and/or regulating devices stipulates more or fewer cables or fuses. In other words, an optimum cable set or loom would actually have to be designed for each equipment variation. This is impossible, not only in terms of engineering and production technology, but also from the standpoint of logic.
GB 2 268 637 provides a central supply line, in which assemblies can be connected to connectors having predetermined plug-in sites. In this case, with a required number of variations, a large number ofxe2x80x94often unusedxe2x80x94plug-in sites must be included. A central fuse must assure the electrical fuse protection.
DE 40 15 816 C2 discloses a cable set that permits a decentralized fuse arrangement. The fuses are integrated into a connector that is fixedly connected to the cable set. The connectors are provided at fixed locations as subsidiary distribution boxes that are distributed in a star shape. A fixed, predetermined number of connectable lines branches off from these locations. The fuses provided in the subsidiary distribution boxes reset automatically, in contrast to conventional blow-out fuses, which must be replaced after being triggered. The fuse protection in the subsidiary boxes can reduce the complexity of the cabling, but cannot avoid the inclusion of lines, plug contacts and fuses because of the number of variations.
The insulation-displacement technique, in which an insulated contact is contacted by means of an electrically-conductive knife edge that cuts through the insulation, and the stripped cable is clamped between the knife edges, has been employed for databus systems, as can be inferred, for example, from DE 44 13 977.
It is the object of the invention to provide a potential-distribution system that is easy to mount, particularly in motor vehicles, and a suitable connector that permits a high degree of flexibility in the integration of different consumers into an on-board network.
The above object generally is achieved according to the present invention by a potential distribution system for distributing potential to consumers that are distributed in a body, particularly a motor vehicle, wherein: a central supply line is disposed in the body, and a plurality of connectors are provided for connecting at least one connecting line connected to a consumer to the supply line; the connectors are connected by clamping device to a freely-selectable location on the supply line; and each connector has a self-resetting electrical fuse element for the connected consumer connected within the housing between the supply line and the connecting line. Modified, advantageous embodiments are disclosed and described.
The invention lies in replacing the cable harness or partial cable harness with a continuous, central supply line that is laid in remote regions of a body equipped with consumers, with a connector that is equipped with an integrated, self-resetting fuse device being clamped to the line at freely-selectable locations by a clamping device. The clamping is preferably effected by an insulation displacement device, in which an uninsulated potential-distribution bus can also be contacted by a simple clamping of the connector. The potential-distribution system permits a fast, individual fuse protection for the individual consumers, because the central supply line is only supposed to be protected against, for example, a direct body contact, but the individual consumers are protected individually by way of their connectors, so a few types of connectors having different fuse powers can connect all possible consumers of different loads. There is no continuous adaptation of the central fuse protection. The later installation of additional consumers also presents no problems, because the additional consumer is connected to a freely-selectable location on the supply line that is unoccupied as of yet, and is protected by the fuse element integrated into the connector. Under normal operating conditions, the fuse device conducts current to the clamped consumer lines and, in the event of an overcurrent, it becomes highly resistive. The consumer lines are preferably electrically connected to the cable strand via a single fuse device. A further preferred embodiment involves protecting the lines to the consumers individually or in groups in the cable-connecting device.